The first pitch for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game from T-Mobile Park in Seattle is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday night on FOX. The 93rd MLB All-Star Game promises to be another classic between the National League and American League.
The NL hopes to return to the win column against the AL, which has won the past nine midsummer classics. Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen will be the starter for the NL, while Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will be the starter for the AL. Gallen is having a tremendous season for Arizona and is one of the reasons why they are in contention for the NL West crown. The 27-year-old righty is 11-3 with a 3.04 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 118.1 innings. Tonight's start marks Gallen's first All-Star appearance.
As for Cole, this is his sixth All-Star Game appearance but the first time he's starting the All-Star Game. The 32-year-old righty has been electrifying on the mound this season, posting a 9-2 record, 2.85 ERA, and 123 strikeouts in 117 innings. Along with the pitchers, the National and American League rosters are loaded with the best hitters/players in the majors this season.
Will Phillies manager Rob Thompson lead the NL to its first win since 2012, or will Astros manager Dusty Baker continue the AL's dominance? Below, we'll break down tonight's 93rd MLB All-Star Game and highlight some best bets that bettors should consider.
2023 MLB All-Star Game picks, predictions
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
National League at American League
Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. ET, FOX
- Spread: National League -1.5 (+155); American League +1.5 (-188)
- Moneyline: National League -110; American League -106
- Total: OVER 7 (-122); UNDER 7 (+100)
There's no exact science on how to handicap the MLB All-Star Game, as we will see the starting pitchers for only a short time before we see a host of different pitchers and all sorts of pinch hitters/defensive replacements.
That being said, there's a sense that this could be the National League's year to win the ASG, as they have a stacked lineup that features Ronald Acuna Jr., Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Nolan Arenado, Luis Arraez, and rookie Corbin Corbin. The National League also has some solid power bats on the bench, including Matt Olson, Will Smith, Pete Alonso, Juan Soto, and Jorge Soler.
However, the NL's pitching staff features a lot of first-time All-Stars, such as Justin Steele, Mitch Keller, Josiah Gray, Kodai Senga, and Alex Cobb. That said, we might not see all these guys pitch, but it's a notable difference from the American League's staff, which has Luis Castillo, Nathan Eovaldi, Kevin Gausman, and Framber Valdez.
The American League lineup is good with Marcus Semien, Shohei Ohtani, Randy Arozarena, Adolis Garcia, and Josh Jung, among others. When looking at their bench, the American League can roll out Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Adley Rutschman, Luis Robert, and Julio Rodriguez. It's not surprising to see the moneyline odds close, as both offenses can put crooked numbers and the pitching staffs are elite. The AL pitchers will get the upper hand on the National League to start the game, but we believe the NL's offense will wake up and lead them to a win. It probably won't be a dominant 8-0 win, which we saw in the 2012 All-Star Game, but it could be enough to get OVER 7 runs.
Since the 2012 mid-summer classic, there have been four All-Star games with more than seven runs scored, including two ASGs with at least seven runs scored. In last year's game, only five runs were scored at Dodgers Stadium, as the American League won 3-2. However, we don't see a low-scoring contest happening in what should be a classic All-Star Game tonight.
Picks: National League -110; OVER 7 runs (-122)
Best prop bets for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game
UNDER 0.5 first-inning runs (-142). We expect some runs to be scored in tonight's All-Star Game, but we think that both Gallen and Cole will get out of the first inning without a blemish. This season, Gallen has pitched well in the first inning, allowing just four earned runs in 19 games. As for Cole, he's allowed seven first-inning earned runs in 19 games. However, opponents are hitting just .189 at the plate in the first frame against him.
In the past five MLB All-Star games, there's only been one time where a run was scored in the first inning (two runs in 2022). We'll see if this trend holds up tonight with Gallen and Cole, who will be throwing their best stuff to strike out the sides.
Luis Arraez and Yandy Diaz to record a hit (+163). If you want to throw together a fun hits parlay, why not focus on Arraez and Diaz, who are two of the best hitters in the majors this season? Arraez leads MLB with a .383 batting average and has been a hitting machine with 126 base knocks. In his first All-Star Game last season, Arraez went 1-for-2 at the plate after coming in for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
As for Diaz, he's ranked third in the majors with a .323 batting average. Diaz has produced 96 hits and will be hitting behind Randy Arozarena and Corey Seager, who can both get on base. We don't need anything flashy from these two guys other than to find a way to make some contact.
MORE prop bets to consider: Ronald Acuna Jr. to record a stolen base (+390); Shohei Ohtani to hit a home run (+520)
